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PHP

Posted by Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
3,165 Points

Build a simple PHP application. Started getting lost once I reached "Adding a contact form'. Advice please!

I'm sure I can't be the only one here! I completed the PHP basics course - all fine, then got as far as "Adding a contact form" on the Build a simple PHP application course and things really start to get really confusing. I am finding this extremely frustrating as up until this point in the course, everything is really very easy and it seems to make a big jump into much more advanced territory very suddenly. I have tried so many courses where exactly this happens, and I was praying that the same would not be the case for TreeHouse. The instructor moves very quickly from just dealing with simple variables to all of a sudden taking chunks of code and moving them around wrapping in conditional statements and using practices that are not explained at all. I have followed along successfully and completed the code challenges and quizzes but do not feel like I understand anything from and after the video "Redirecting After a Form Submission". Is there anyone out there who maybe is having a similar experience to me, or anyone who was struggling like me but has "broken through" and has some advice on how to get past this brick wall I seem to be banging my head against!? I look forward to hearing any responses! :-)

6 Answers

Tom Cafferkey
Tom Cafferkey
4,326 Points
Tom Cafferkey
Tom Cafferkey
4,326 Points

Hi Steven,

Maybe have a look at this, download the file, set it up and see if you can understand it. I believe in this format it's a lot easier to understand: http://www.kodecreations.co.uk/php/simple-php-contact-form/

Thanks.

Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
3,165 Points
Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
3,165 Points

Hi Tom

Thanks for responding to my call for help! I will have a look at that.

Although in an ideal world I would prefer to be working along with the Treehouse tutorials. I'm worried that this could lead me to getting even more confused if I start trying other methods.

Tom Cafferkey
Tom Cafferkey
4,326 Points
Tom Cafferkey
Tom Cafferkey
4,326 Points

Hi Steven,

I understand where you're coming from. If you post your code to this thread and explain where you're getting confused I'm sure you'll receive help. If not off of me but someone else here.

Cheers.

Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
3,165 Points
Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
3,165 Points

Hi.

Well it's not a specific piece of code I have a problem with. I completed the form (which worked) and all the quizzes, it's just that I feel from the the video "Redirecting After a Form Submission" onwards I'm just following along without actually knowing what the hell is going on! It really speeds up quite suddenly and all gets very hard to digest.

I'm keen to hear from people to get advice on how to deal with this. I'm guessing there must be others out there that this coding business just doesn't come naturally to.

When posting on this forum, must my questions be code specific?

Tom Cafferkey
Tom Cafferkey
4,326 Points
Tom Cafferkey
Tom Cafferkey
4,326 Points

Hi Steven,

I understand where you're coming from, the main thing is that you understand the concept, you will never remember all of the code. There is just too much!

You will find yourself often Googling code you need, it will only become natural the more you use it on projects. I always bookmark code tutorials I think I'll need to use in future and examples I think may help me.

If you don't understand why it works then just post it in here and I've no doubt you'll get a different explanation as to how it functions that may be easier for you to understand.

Cheers.

Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
3,165 Points
Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
3,165 Points

Thanks again.

Good advice Tom.

It would be good to hear what others think about this as well.